It’s attainable that 2024 might be Dak Prescott’s final season as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. In that case, he’ll have had a nine-year run that just a few in franchise historical past have bettered and even matched. Provided that, it’s superb to consider how unbelievable Prescott’s profession has been. What if his predecessor, Tony Romo, hadn’t been injured throughout that 2016 preseason?
Prescott was famously taken with a fourth-round decide in that 12 months’s NFL Draft. He didn’t arrive with fanfare; extra focus was placed on Dallas getting leapfrogged for Paxton Lynch within the first spherical or their reported curiosity in Connor Prepare dinner earlier than the Raiders snatched him forward of Dallas within the fourth spherical. Popping out of the draft, Prescott felt extra like a runner-up and a profession backup at greatest; one other Stephen McGee to assist fill the QB depth chart for some time.
Certainly, Prescott wasn’t even the first backup upon arrival. Dallas had added Kellen Moore, a favourite of then-offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, the 12 months earlier than and he was the presumptive QB2. On high of that, Prescott didn’t have an awesome summer time in apply and there was speak of undrafted rookie Jameill Showers outshining him. Even after Moore broke his leg early in coaching camp, the Cowboys tried to swing a commerce for veteran Josh McCown quite than entrust backup obligation to one among their rookies.
However then, as soon as preseason motion began, Prescott obtained the hype practice rolling. In three video games he went 39/50 for 454 yards, 5 touchdowns, and no interceptions with a 137.8 passer score. Prescott additionally confirmed off his working means with 53 yards and two extra scores on simply seven carries.
Prescott didn’t play within the closing preseason recreation as a result of, the week earlier than, Tony Romo was injured in opposition to the Seahawks and dominated out for not less than two months. Due to his scorching August, Prescott was named the starter and helped lead the staff to a outstanding 13-3 season. Even when Romo was medically cleared to return, the staff caught with their rookie sensation and embraced a brand new period for the franchise.
So once more, what if Romo doesn’t endure that again harm? What if he waltzes into 2016 nonetheless the beginning quarterback? How may Cowboys historical past have modified?
The largest query of all is that if Romo would’ve made the 2016 Cowboys a greater staff, and that’s a tricky one given what they achieved with out him. 13 common season wins, a division title, and a aggressive displaying of their playoff loss to the Packers; there have been all in regards to the peak of what Romo did in his greatest seasons with Dallas.
Even within the playoffs, the rookie Prescott had a robust recreation going head-to-head with Aaron Rodgers and helped Dallas take it down the ultimate ticks. The Cowboys rallied from a 28-13 deficit going into the fourth quarter to tie it up late, and solely a closing drive and a 51-yard area objective from Mason Crosby lifted Inexperienced Bay to the win that day. Prescott appeared the a part of a championship-level quarterback that day.
Nonetheless, there’s no denying Romo’s expertise would have served the staff properly in moments. He was additionally a extra fearless kind of QB, and maybe a few of that moxie would have led to large performs when the extra conservative Prescott performed it protected. However alternatively, with solely 4 complete picks thrown that 12 months, Prescott’s model may need helped the Cowboys keep away from a few of the pitfalls that Romo’s risk-taking sometimes led to. Their variations in all probability balanced out over the season as a complete.
Now that is the place it actually will get fascinating. If Romo had remained the starter, how lengthy would which have continued past 2016? And would which have affected Prescott’s profession?
One purpose that Dallas selected Prescott over Romo was that the veteran was already 36 and decidedly injury-prone. If he’d had a wholesome and productive 2016 season, would Romo have moved into broadcasting the next 12 months or given it one other go? That’s arduous to say with out seeing how he would’ve carried out the season earlier than, nor can we assume that avoiding that preseason harm means he wouldn’t have been harm at another level in 2016. One factor that we do find out about Romo, even earlier than that closing harm, was that his physique was breaking down.
Nonetheless, let’s fake that Romo stays wholesome in 2016 and decides to offer it another go in 2017. Perhaps he makes it by that 12 months, perhaps he doesn’t. Perhaps the state of affairs we noticed play out the 12 months earlier than then involves fruition; Prescott will get his shot and reveals he’s a gamer. But when Romo hangs on one other two years after which retires, Dallas would’ve gone into the 2018 offseason with a giant query mark at quarterback.
True, Prescott would’ve had his large preseason performances to entice the staff. However that 2018 QB class of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson would’ve been robust for the Cowboys to disregard. Relying on how Dallas carried out the 12 months earlier than and the place their first-round decide may need fallen, may they’ve chosen their subsequent beginning QB right here and left Prescott resigned to backup obligation?
Or what if Romo makes it by 2016 however then both retires or will get harm early? Keep in mind, the 2017 season wasn’t a enjoyable one for Dallas. That was the 12 months of Elliott’s suspension, Dez Bryant’s declining play as WR1, the notorious Chaz Inexperienced debacle in Atlanta, and a suspect protection incapable of inflicting turnovers. If this had been Prescott’s entry to the NFL, with out that 12 months of expertise underneath his belt, how badly may it have harm his inventory going ahead?
One factor is evident; 2016 was the most effective level attainable for Prescott to get his alternative to start out. Elliott was the freshest and most dynamic model of himself, the offensive line was buzzing behind Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and Travis Frederick, and different veteran items like Bryant and Jason Witten had been nonetheless viable for a contending staff. Even with a comparatively poor protection that 12 months, Prescott was capable of assist lead the opposite facet of the ball to beat that and submit one of many staff’s most spectacular seasons of the trendy period.
If that shot hadn’t come when it did, Prescott could have by no means been given the reins. He may have stayed on the bench behind Romo for just a few years, then been leapfrogged by a excessive decide within the 2018 draft. Or if he’d needed to play in 2017 in much less perfect circumstances, it may’ve prompted the staff to start out trying elsewhere. In spite of everything, he was solely a former fourth-rounder anyway. It’s not like they noticed him as their QB of the longer term after they took him.
So if 2024 does show to be Dak Prescott’s finale with the Dallas Cowboys, it is going to cap almost a decade of quarterback play that might’ve simply by no means occurred. Prescott wasn’t introduced in because the inheritor obvious to Tony Romo, however circumstances opened the door and his efficiency compelled that transition to happen. It’s superb how a franchise’s destiny can alter on such a slim margin, however that’s what makes Prescott’s run one of many nice “What Ifs” in Cowboys historical past.
